Vehicle awnings

ABSTRACT

Vehicle awnings comprise an inflatable frame assembly comprising a main frame member that defines a space, a left supporting frame member, and a right supporting frame member; a canopy operatively coupled to the main frame member and spanning the space; and an attachment system for attaching the vehicle awning to a vehicle.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 63/202,247, entitled “INFLATABLE VEHICLE AWNING AND CONNECTIONSYSTEM,” filed on Jun. 2, 2021, the complete disclosure of which isincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to vehicle awnings.

BACKGROUND

Existing vehicle awnings typically deploy from brackets or otherhardware that is at least semi-permanently and rigidly secured to avehicle, such as with fasteners (e.g., bolts and nuts). These awningstypically have rigid installation hardware and loose parts such as rods,poles, mounting brackets, tent stakes, and the like, and rely on supportfrom a ground surface when deployed.

SUMMARY

Vehicle awnings according to the present disclosure comprise aninflatable frame assembly comprising a main frame member that defines aspace, a left supporting frame member, and a right supporting framemember; a canopy operatively coupled to the inflatable frame assemblyand spanning the space; and an attachment system for attaching thevehicle awning to a vehicle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram representing vehicle awnings according tothe present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an example vehicle awning according tothe present disclosure, shown in a deployed configuration.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the example vehicle awning of FIG. 2 .

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the example vehicle awning of FIG. 2 .

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the example vehicle awning of FIG. 2 .

FIG. 6 is a side view of the example vehicle awning of FIG. 2 .

FIG. 7 is an end view of a distal end region of a supporting framemember of the example vehicle awning of FIG. 2 .

FIG. 8 is an illustration of an example upper attachment assembly foruse with a vehicle awning according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of another example upper attachment assemblyfor use with a vehicle awning according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is an example of a vehicle anchor for use with a vehicle awningaccording to the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart schematically representing methods according tothe present disclosure.

DESCRIPTION

Vehicle awnings 10 according to the present disclosure are schematicallyillustrated in FIG. 1 . Generally, in FIG. 1 , elements that are likelyto be included in a given example of a vehicle awning 10 are illustratedin solid lines, while elements that are optional to a given example areillustrated in dashed lines. However, elements that are illustrated insolid lines are not essential to all examples of the present disclosure,and an element shown in solid lines may be omitted from a particularexample without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

As schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 , generally, vehicles awnings 10are configured for installation on a corresponding vehicle 12. Wheninstalled, vehicles awnings 10 are fully supported by the vehicle 12 anddo not require direct support from a ground surface. Moreover, generallyno modification to the vehicle 12 is required. That is, vehicle awnings10 do not require that rigid or other hardware be fixed to the vehicle12, such as with fasteners and the like, which would result in permanentalteration to the vehicle 12. That said, in some examples or someinstallations of some examples, vehicle awnings 10 may be at leastpartially coupled to aftermarket vehicle hardware, such as rooftopracks, rails, and the like. In some examples, vehicle awnings 10 aregenerally configured to leverage existing anchors and other structuresalready present on a user's vehicle, but in some instances, a user maychoose or need to utilize a selectively added vehicle anchor asdiscussed here.

Vehicles awnings 10 comprise at least an inflatable frame assembly 14, acanopy 38, and an attachment system 40 for operatively attaching thevehicle awning 10 to the vehicle 12.

The inflatable frame assembly 14 comprises a main frame member 16, aleft supporting frame member 30, and a right supporting frame member 34.The main frame member 16 defines a space 18 at least partially bound bythe main frame member 16. By at least partially bound, it is meant thatthe main frame member 16 extends in two dimensions at least partiallyaround the space 18. In some examples, as discussed herein, the mainframe member 16 extends fully around (i.e., 360 degrees around) thespace 18 in two dimensions. At least partially bound and fully bound donot mean that the space 18 is fully enclosed in three dimensions.

The main frame member 16 comprises an elongate rear segment 20 having aleft end region 22 and a right end region 24, a left projecting segment26 that extends (e.g., at an angle) from the left end region 22 of theelongate rear segment 20, and a right projecting segment 28 that extends(e.g., at an angle) from the right end region 24 of the elongate rearsegment 20. The left supporting frame member 30 extends (e.g., at anangle) from the left projecting segment 26 and has a left-support distalend region 32. The right supporting frame member 34 extends (e.g., at anangle) from the right projecting segment 28 and has a right-supportdistal end region 36. The angles between various elements of theinflatable frame assembly 14 may differ amongst different vehicleawnings 10, such as depending on the particular size and shape of canopy38, the type of vehicle 12 with which a vehicle awning 10 is configured,designed, or otherwise intended to be used, etc. Moreover, in someexamples, one or more the angles between the various elements of theinflatable frame assembly 14 may vary during installation or dependingon a particular instance of an installation of a vehicle awning 10. Inparticular, as discussed herein, the angles of the left and rightsupporting frame members relative to the left and right projectingsegments may be adjusted during installation of a vehicle awning 10.

Each of the main frame member 16, the left supporting frame member 30,and the right supporting frame member 34 is configured to selectivelyhold a pressurized volume of air. The inflatable frame assembly 14 andits component members may be constructed in various suitable ways forholding pressurized air. In some examples, the inflatable frame assembly14 or its component members may comprise gas-impermeable bladders (e.g.,constructed of Thermoplastic Polyurethane [TPU], polyvinyl chloride[PVC], or rubber) positioned within an outer sheath (e.g., constructedof DACRON™ or other polyester fabric), and at least one valve 104 (e.g.,a Boston valve or H3 valve) for selective pressurization of theinflatable frame assembly 14. In other examples, no sheath may bepresent. When pressurized, the main frame member 16 and/or its componentmembers may be flexible, for example, such that at least the main framemember 16 may conform to the contour of the vehicle 12, such as theupper region 56 thereof. Depending on the construction of the inflatableframe assembly 14, when inflated, the inflatable frame assembly 14 mayhold air in the 5-30 psi range; however, pressures less than and greaterthan this range also are within the scope of the present disclosure.

Herein, spatial terms, such as left, right, upper, lower, above, below,and the like are used to describe relative positions of components ofvehicle awnings 10 and do not require that vehicle awnings 10 beinstalled on a particular side of a vehicle 12. Generally, such spatialterms are from the perspective of a person facing the vehicle 12 on theside of the vehicle 12 to which the vehicle awning 10 is installed.

The canopy 38 is operatively coupled to the main frame member 16 andspans the space 18. The canopy 38 may be constructed of any suitablematerial depending on the desired function of the canopy 38. Forexample, the canopy 38 may be configured to block sunlight, to blockultraviolet (UV) light, to repel rain, to shed snow, etc. An example ofa suitable material is a ripstop nylon fabric. In some examples, thecanopy 38 may be opaque, while in other examples, it may be translucent.The canopy 38 may be operatively coupled to the main frame member 16using any suitable process, such as adhesives and/or stitching. In someexamples, the seams between the canopy 38 and the main frame member 16are water tight (e.g., treated with seam sealer such as urethane), so asto restrict water from entering the space 18 when the vehicle awning 10is deployed.

The attachment system 40 comprises a lower left attachment assembly 42,a lower right attachment assembly 50, an upper left attachment assembly54, and an upper right attachment assembly 58.

The lower left attachment assembly 42 comprises a lower left strap 44that extends from the left end region 22 of the elongate rear segment 20of the main frame member 16 of the inflatable frame assembly 14, and theleft-support distal end region 32 of the left supporting frame member 30is coupled to the lower left strap 44. Similarly, the lower rightattachment assembly 50 comprises a lower right strap 52 that extendsfrom the right end region 24 of the elongate rear segment 20 of the mainframe member 16 of the inflatable frame assembly 14, and theright-support distal end region 36 of the right supporting frame member34 is coupled to the lower right strap 52. In some examples, the lowerleft attachment assembly 42 and the lower right attachment assembly 50are fixedly attached to the left end region 22 and the right end region24, respectively. In other examples, the lower left attachment assembly42 and the lower right attachment assembly 50 may be releasably attachedto the left end region 22 and the right end region 24, respectively,such as via a ladder lock with hook, a clip or other attachment hardwareto an optional auxiliary attachment structure 78 attached to theelongate rear segment 20.

The lower left attachment assembly 42 further comprises a lower leftattachment 46 that is operatively coupled to the lower left strap 44 andthat is configured to engage a lower region 48 of the vehicle 12.Similarly, the lower right attachment assembly 50 further comprises alower right attachment 55 that is operatively coupled to the lower rightstrap 52 and that is configured to engage a lower region 48 of thevehicle 12. Examples of lower left and lower right attachments includeflat hooks configured to engage an edge of the vehicle 12. Examples oflower region structures to which the lower left strap 44 and the lowerright strap 52 may be selectively coupled include the vehicle'sundercarriage, a bottom edge of a vehicle door, the vehicle frame, abottom edge of a vehicle body panel, a wheel, a wheel well, a fender, afender flare, and the like.

The lower left attachment assembly 42 is configured to be selectivelylengthened and shortened between the lower left attachment 46 and theleft end region 22 of the elongate rear segment 20, and the lower rightattachment assembly 50 is configured to be selectively lengthened andshortened between the lower right attachment 55 and the right end region24 of the elongate rear segment 20.

The upper left attachment assembly 54 extends from the left end region22 of the elongate rear segment 20 of the main frame member 16 of theinflatable frame assembly 14 and is configured to be selectively securedto an upper region 56 of the vehicle 12. Similarly, the upper rightattachment assembly 58 extends from the right end region 24 of theelongate rear segment 20 of the main frame member 16 of the inflatableframe assembly 14 and is configured to be selectively secured to theupper region 56 of the vehicle 12. Examples of upper region structuresto which the upper left attachment assembly 54 and the upper rightattachment assembly 58 may be selectively coupled include a top edge ofa vehicle door, a roof rack, a rain gutter, a tab, a roof rail, a roofchannel, a factory roof rack and the like. Additionally oralternatively, a vehicle awning 10 may be provided with aftermarketattachment structures that are selectively coupled to the vehicle 12 bya user. For example, an adhesive backed or magnet-mounted anchor, suchas a D-ring assembly, may be coupled to the vehicle's roof, sidewall, ordoor. In such examples, the upper left attachment assembly 54 and/or theupper right attachment assembly 58 may comprise one or more of a hook, acarabiner, a clip, a strap, webbing, a ladder lock, a buckle, a magnet,etc.

In some examples, the upper left attachment assembly 54 and/or the upperright attachment assembly 58 may be selectively adjusted in length. Insome examples, the upper left attachment assembly 54 and/or the upperright attachment assembly 58 may be fixedly coupled to the elongate rearsegment 20. In other examples, the upper left attachment assembly 54and/or the upper right attachment assembly 58 may be releasably attachedto the elongate rear segment 20, such as via a ladder lock with hook, aclip or other attachment hardware, to an optional auxiliary attachmentstructure 78 attached to the elongate rear segment 20. In some suchexamples, the location of attachment of the upper left attachmentassembly 54 and/or the upper right attachment assembly 58 along theelongate rear segment 20 may be selected by a user, such as depending onthe specific installation method, vehicle, etc.

Accordingly, when the lower left attachment 46 and the lower rightattachment 55 are operatively coupled to the lower region 48 of avehicle 12, and when the upper left attachment assembly 54 and the upperright attachment assembly 58 are operatively coupled to the upper region56 of the vehicle 12, shortening the lower left attachment assembly 42and the lower right attachment assembly 50 will cinch the lower leftstrap 44 and the lower right strap 52 taught to secure the vehicleawning 10 to the vehicle 12. For example, the lower left and rightattachment assemblies may comprise one or more ladder locks 106operatively coupled to the lower left and lower right straps. Whenpresent, the ladder locks 106 provide for adjustment of the length ofthe straps 44, 52 between the lower left and lower right attachments 46,55 and the elongate rear segment 20.

In some examples of vehicle awnings 10, and as schematically illustratedin FIG. 1 , the vehicle awning 10 has a deployed configuration 100, inwhich the main frame member 16, the left supporting frame member 30, andthe right supporting frame member 34 are holding pressurized air and thecanopy 38 is taught across the space 18, and a stowed configuration 102,in which the main frame member 16, the left supporting frame member 30,and the right supporting frame member 34 are open to atmosphere and areable to be folded and/or rolled for stowing the vehicle awning 10.

Accordingly, a vehicle awning 10 may be provided with a storage bag 80,sized such that the vehicle awning 10 is configured to fit fully withinthe storage bag 80 when in the stowed configuration 102, asschematically represented in FIG. 1 .

In some examples of vehicle awnings 10, the main frame member 16 furthercomprises a front segment 60 that interconnects the left projectingsegment 26 and the right projecting segment 28, and the main framemember 16 (including the front segment 60) fully bounds the space 18. Insome examples, such as depending on the size of a vehicle awning 10 andthe canopy 38 thereof, the main frame member 16 may comprise one or morecentral projecting segments 61 that extend from the elongate rearsegment 20 between the left projecting segment 26 and the rightprojecting segment 28. In examples that also comprise a front segment60, the one or more central projecting segments 61 may extend fullybetween the elongate rear segment 20 and the front segment 60.Additionally or alternatively, in some examples, one or more centralprojecting segments 61 may extend from and/or between the leftprojecting segment 26 and the right projecting segment 28. In theschematic representation of FIG. 1 , the main frame member 16, thecanopy 38, and the space 18 are generally rectangular in shape; however,this is not required for all examples of vehicle awnings 10. Forexample, the segments of the main frame member 16 may define asemi-circular shape, a trapezoidal shape, etc. Additionally, while thesegments of the main frame member 16 may generally be straight, theyalso may be curved.

In some examples, the segments of the main frame member 16 may comprisea single bladder. In other instances one of more of the segments mayhave their own discrete bladder that is fluidically coupled to anadjacent segment.

In some examples of vehicle awnings 10, the main frame member 16, theleft supporting frame member 30, and the right supporting frame member34 are fluidly interconnected to define a single internal volume 62. Insome such examples, the inflatable frame assembly 14 further comprises aleft connecting tube 64 that fluidly interconnects the left projectingsegment 26 and the left supporting frame member 30, a right connectingtube 66 that fluidly interconnects the right projecting segment 28 andthe right supporting frame member 34, a left valve 68 that isoperatively coupled to the left connecting tube 64 and that isconfigured to selectively restrict and permit air flow between the leftprojecting segment 26 and the left supporting frame member 30, and aright valve 70 that is operatively coupled to the right connecting tube66 and that is configured to selectively restrict and permit air flowbetween the right projecting segment 28 and the right supporting framemember 34. Examples of left and right valves include pinch valves andclamps that are configured to selectively pinch and release the left andright connecting tubes.

In one example, deploying vehicle awnings 10 begins with the inflatableframe assembly 14 deflated, the left and right valves are selectivelyclosed to restrict air flow into the left and right supporting framemembers. The remainder of the inflatable frame assembly 14 ispressurized with the valves closed. Then the elongate rear segment 20 ofthe main frame member 16 is attached to the vehicle 12 with the left andright supporting frame members deflated. Only once the rear segment 20is attached to the vehicle 12, are the left and right valves selectivelyopened to permit air flow into the left and right supporting framemembers. As a result, a volume of air enters the left and rightsupporting frame members and equalizes with the pressure of theremainder of the inflatable frame assembly 14, and the distal endregions of the left and right supporting frame members operativelyengage the vehicle 12 and thereby raise the main frame member 16 and thecanopy 38 into an operative position.

In some examples of vehicle awnings 10, the left-support distal endregion 32 of the left supporting frame member 30 is slidingly coupled tothe lower left strap 44 and is configured to be selectively positionedalong the lower left strap 44. Similarly, in such examples, theright-support distal end region 36 is slidingly coupled to the lowerright strap 52 and is configured to be selectively positioned along thelower right strap 52. Accordingly, an operative position of the distalend regions of the left and right supporting frame members may beselected. For example, to engage the distal end regions of the left andright supporting frame members with a particular structure or region ofthe vehicle 12, to adjust the angle of the main frame member 16 and thecanopy 38 relative to the vehicle, and so forth.

In some such examples of vehicle awnings 10, the left-support distal endregion 32 comprises a left loop 72 and the lower left strap 44 slidinglyextends through the left loop 72. Similarly, in such examples, theright-support distal end region 36 comprises a right loop 74 and thelower right strap 52 slidingly extends through the right loop 74. Theleft and right loops may be constructed of nylon or other fabricmaterial and be sized and shaped to operatively receive the lower leftand lower right straps in a sliding arrangement. In some examples ofvehicle awnings 10, the distal end regions of the left and rightsupporting frame members additionally or alternatively may comprise apocket 110 into which a magnet may be positioned for operativeattachment of the distal end regions of the left and right supportingmembers to the vehicle 12. The distal end regions of the left and rightsupporting members, including optional left and right loops and optionalleft and right pockets may be constructed of a soft material, such as afabric having a plush, nap, pile, fleece, flannel, or other materialthat will not scratch the vehicle's body.

In some examples of vehicle awnings 10 in which left supporting framemember 30 and the right supporting frame member 34 are slidingly coupledto the lower left strap 44 and the lower right strap 52, respectively,the lower left attachment assembly 42 further comprises one or moreleft-strap limiting structures 82 that are configured to be selectivelypositioned along the lower left strap 44 to retain the left-supportdistal end region 32 of the left supporting frame member 30 in aselected position along the lower left strap 44. Similarly, in suchexamples, the lower right attachment assembly 50 further comprises oneor more right-strap limiting structures 84 that are configured to beselectively positioned along the lower right strap 52 to retain theright-support distal end region 36 in a selected positon along the lowerright strap 52.

In some such examples, the one or more left-strap limiting structures 82may comprise a first left-strap limiting slider 86 that is slidinglycoupled to the lower left strap 44 on one side of the left-supportdistal end region 32, and a second left-strap limiting slider 88 that isslidingly coupled to the lower left strap 44 on an opposite side of theleft-support distal end region 32 from the first left-strap limitingslider 86. Similarly, in such examples, the one or more right-straplimiting structures 84 may comprise a first right-strap limiting slider90 that is slidingly coupled to the lower right strap 52 on one side ofthe right-support distal end region 36, and a second right-straplimiting slider 92 that is slidingly coupled to the lower right strap 52on an opposite side of the right-support distal end region 36 from thefirst right-strap limiting slider 90. Examples of limiting slidersinclude friction lock hardware, such as ladder locks, sliding buckles,etc. configured to be selectively positioned along a length of the lowerleft and lower right straps. In some instances, the limiting sliders maybe positioned to engage the distal end regions, including the left andright loops thereof, of the left and right supporting frame members.

Some examples of vehicle awnings 10 further comprise a handle 76 that iscoupled to the canopy 38 within the space 18. That is, the handle 76,when present, is coupled to an underside of the canopy 38. Accordingly,in an example installation method, the handle 76 may be used toselectively position the vehicle awning 10 for operative attachment tothe vehicle 12, such as following initial inflation of the main framemember 16.

In some examples of vehicle awnings 10, the attachment system 40 furthercomprises one or more auxiliary attachment structures 78 that arecoupled to the inflatable frame assembly 14 and/or to the canopy 38 foroperative attachment of various component parts of the attachment system40 or accessories for the vehicle awning 10. In some examples, one ormore auxiliary attachment structures 78 are coupled to the elongate rearsegment 20 and are configured to operatively secure the elongate rearsegment 20 relative to the upper region 56 of the vehicle 12. Examplesof auxiliary attachment structures 78 include (but are not limited to)daisy chains, webbing, D-rings, clips, buckles, Molle straps, magnets,suction cups, etc. Such structures may extend longitudinally along asegment or member of the inflatable frame assembly 14, and/or may extendaround a segment or member of the inflatable frame assembly 14. Discreteauxiliary attachment structures 78 may be placed at various locationsalong the members and/or segments of the inflatable frame assembly 14.

Some vehicle awnings 10 also may comprise one or more vehicle anchors108, such as including a D-ring, a buckle, a clip, or the like, that areconfigured to be selectively attached to the vehicle 12 for operativecoupling of the attachment system 40 thereto. In some examples, avehicle anchor 108 may comprise a magnet to magnetically attach thevehicle anchor to a vehicle 12. In some examples, a vehicle anchor 108may comprise an adhesive to adhesively attach to a vehicle 12.

Turning now to FIGS. 2-7 , an illustrative non-exclusive example of avehicle awning 10 in the form of vehicle awning 150 is illustrated.Vehicle awning 150 is an example of a vehicle awning 10 whose main framemember 16 comprises a front segment 60 that interconnects the leftprojecting segment 26 and the right projecting segment 28, such thatmain frame member 16 fully bounds the space 18, across which the canopy38 spans. Additionally, vehicle awning 150 comprises a left connectingtube 64 and a right connecting tube 66. Also, the main frame member 16,the left connecting tube 64, the left supporting frame member 30, theright connecting tube 66, and the right supporting frame member 34 areall fluidly interconnected to define a single internal volume 62.Accordingly, the inflatable frame assembly 14 may be operativelyinflated with a single pumping operation.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the left-support distal end region 32 of the leftsupporting frame member 30 comprises a left loop 72, through which thelower left strap 44 slidingly extends, and the right-support distal endregion 36 of the right supporting frame member 34 comprises a right loop74, through which the lower right strap 52 slidingly extends.

In FIG. 8 , an example of an upper attachment assembly 54, 58 isillustrated in the form of upper attachment assembly 152. Upperattachment assembly 152 comprises a webbing 154, a flat hook 156 fixedto one end of the webbing 154, and a ladder lock 158 for adjusting alength of the upper attachment assembly 152. Upper attachment assembly152 is configured for use with an upper region 56 of a vehicle 12 in theform of a body panel edge, such as the top of a vehicle sliding orhinged door. Adjacent to the flat hook 156, the webbing 154 is doubledin thickness to provide a rigidity. First, a free end 160 of the webbing154 is looped through a corresponding auxiliary attachment structure 78,such as a loop of a daisy chain, on the elongate rear segment 20 of themain frame member 16. The free end 160 is then fed through the ladderlock 158 to secure the upper attachment assembly 152 to the auxiliaryattachment structure 78. Next, the vehicle awning is guided using thehandle 76 to position the flat hook 156 over the body panel edge of thevehicle. The portion of the webbing 154 that is doubled in thicknessrestricts the webbing 154 from flopping over while a user positions theflat hook appropriately.

In FIG. 9 , an example of an upper attachment assembly 54, 58 isillustrated in the form of upper attachment assembly 162. Upperattachment assembly 162 comprises a webbing 164, a clip or carabiner 166fixed to one end of the webbing 164, and a combination ladder lock withhook 169. A loop 167 is formed in the webbing 164 between the clip 166and the combination ladder lock with hook 169. A D-ring also could beused in addition or as an alternative to the loop 167 in the webbing164. Upper attachment assembly 162 may be used with an upper region 56of a vehicle 12 in the form of a roof rack or other upper region 56 of avehicle 12 with suitable attachment structure. To install, first, thehook of the combination ladder lock with hook 169 is coupled to acorresponding auxiliary attachment structure 78, such as a loop of adaisy chain, a webbing, a ladder lock, or other component on theelongate rear segment 20 of the main frame member 16. In someinstallations, the clip 166 is clipped to a roof rack or other upperregion 56 of a vehicle 12, and the ladder lock of the combination ladderlock with hook 169 is adjusted to cinch the elongate rear segment 20against the vehicle 12. In other installations, the clip 166 is fed orwrapped around a roof rack bar, tower, or other larger structure ofupper region 56 of vehicle 12 and then clipped to the loop 167, and theladder lock of the combination ladder lock with hook 169 is adjusted tocinch the elongate rear segment 20 against the vehicle 12.

In FIG. 10 , an example of a vehicle anchor 108 is illustrated in theform of vehicle anchor 170. Vehicle anchor 170 comprises anadhesive-backed disc 172 and a D-ring 174 coupled thereto via a loop ofwebbing 176. Accordingly, the vehicle anchor 170 may be adhered to avehicle, such as on a roof or a side panel, and then an upper attachmentassembly 54, 58, such as the upper attachment assembly 162 of FIG. 9 ,may be operatively clipped to the D-ring 174.

FIG. 11 schematically provides a flowchart that represents illustrative,non-exclusive examples of methods according to the present disclosure.In FIG. 11 , some steps are illustrated in dashed boxes indicating thatsuch steps may be optional or may correspond to an optional version of amethod according to the present disclosure. That said, not all methodsaccording to the present disclosure are required to include the stepsillustrated in solid boxes. The methods and steps illustrated in FIG. 11are not limiting and other methods and steps are within the scope of thepresent disclosure, including methods having greater than or fewer thanthe number of steps illustrated, as understood from the discussionsherein.

As schematically represented in FIG. 11 , methods 200 of installing avehicle awning 10 on a vehicle 12 comprising inflating 202 theinflatable frame assembly 14 so that the canopy 38 is taught across thespace 18, operatively attaching 204 the upper left attachment assembly54 and the upper right attachment assembly 58 to an upper region 56 ofthe vehicle 12, operatively attaching 206 the lower left attachment 46and the lower right attachment 55 to the lower region 48 of the vehicle12, and shortening 208 the lower left attachment assembly 42 and thelower right attachment assembly 50 so that the lower left strap 44 andthe lower right strap 52 are taught.

When installing a vehicle awning 10 that comprises a left connectingtube 64 with a left valve 68 and a right connecting tube 66 with a rightvalve 70, some methods 200 further comprise prior to the inflating 202,causing 210 the left valve 68 to restrict air flow through the leftconnecting tube 64 and the right valve 70 to restrict air flow throughthe right connecting tube 66. In such methods 200, the inflating 202comprises pressurizing 212 the main frame member 16 and, following thepressurizing 212, causing 214 the left valve 68 to permit air flowthrough the left connecting tube 64 and the right valve 70 to permit airflow through the right connecting tube 66, thereby pressurizing the leftsupporting frame member 30 and the right supporting frame member 34.

Illustrative, non-exclusive examples of inventive subject matteraccording to the present disclosure are described in the followingenumerated paragraphs:

A. A vehicle awning (10) for installation on a vehicle (12), comprising:

an inflatable frame assembly (14), comprising:

-   -   a main frame member (16) defining a space (18) at least        partially bound by the main frame member (16) and comprising:        -   an elongate rear segment (20) having a left end region (22)            and a right end region (24);        -   a left projecting segment (26) extending from the left end            region (22) of the elongate rear segment (20); and        -   a right projecting segment (28) extending from the right end            region (24) of the elongate rear segment (20);    -   a left supporting frame member (30) extending from the left        projecting segment (26) and having a left-support distal end        region (32); and    -   a right supporting frame member (34) extending from the right        projecting segment (28) and having a right-support distal end        region (36), wherein each of the main frame member (16), the        left supporting frame member (30), and the right supporting        frame member (34) is configured to selectively hold a        pressurized volume of air;

a canopy (38) operatively coupled to the main frame member (16) andspanning the space (18); and

an attachment system (40), comprising:

-   -   a lower left attachment assembly (42) comprising a lower left        strap (44) extending from the left end region (22) of the        elongate rear segment (20) and a lower left attachment (46)        operatively coupled to the lower left strap (44) and configured        to engage a lower region (48) of the vehicle (12), wherein the        left-support distal end region (32) is coupled to the lower left        strap (44), and wherein the lower left attachment assembly (42)        is configured to be selectively lengthened and shortened between        the lower left attachment (46) and the left end region (22) of        the elongate rear segment (20);    -   a lower right attachment assembly (50) comprising a lower right        strap (52) extending from the right end region (24) of the        elongate rear segment (20) and a lower right attachment (55)        operatively coupled to the lower right strap (52) and configured        to engage the lower region (48) of the vehicle (12), wherein the        right-support distal end region (36) is coupled to the lower        right strap (52), and wherein the lower right attachment        assembly (50) is configured to be selectively lengthened and        shortened between the lower right attachment (55) and the right        end region (24) of the elongate rear segment (20);    -   an upper left attachment assembly (54) extending from the left        end region (22) of the elongate rear segment (20) and configured        to be selectively secured to an upper region (56) of the vehicle        (12); and    -   an upper right attachment assembly (58) extending from the right        end region (24) of the elongate rear segment (20) and configured        to be selectively secured to the upper region (56) of the        vehicle (12).

A1. The vehicle awning (10) of paragraph A, wherein the vehicle awning(10) has:

a deployed configuration (100), in which the main frame member (16), theleft supporting frame member (30), and the right supporting frame member(34) are holding pressurized air and the canopy (38) is taught acrossthe space (18); and

a stowed configuration (102), in which the main frame member (16), theleft supporting frame member (30), and the right supporting frame member(34) are open to atmosphere and are able to be folded and/or rolled forstowing the vehicle awning (10).

A1.1. The vehicle awning (10) of paragraph A1 in combination with astorage bag (80), wherein the vehicle awning (10) is configured to fitfully within the storage bag (80) when in the stowed configuration(102).

A2. The vehicle awning (10) of any of paragraphs A-A1.1, wherein themain frame member (16) further comprises a front segment (60) thatinterconnects the left projecting segment (26) and the right projectingsegment (28), and wherein the main frame member (16) fully bounds thespace (18).

A3. The vehicle awning (10) of any of paragraphs A-A2, wherein the mainframe member (16), the left supporting frame member (30), and the rightsupporting frame member (34) are fluidly interconnected to define asingle internal volume (62).

A3.1. The vehicle awning (10) of paragraph A3, wherein the inflatableframe assembly (14) further comprises:

a left connecting tube (64) fluidly interconnecting the left projectingsegment (26) and the left supporting frame member (30);

a right connecting tube (66) fluidly interconnecting the rightprojecting segment (28) and the right supporting frame member (34);

a left valve (68) operatively coupled to the left connecting tube (64)and configured to selectively restrict and permit air flow between theleft projecting segment (26) and the left supporting frame member (30);and

a right valve (70) operatively coupled to the right connecting tube (66)and configured to selectively restrict and permit air flow between theright projecting segment (28) and the right supporting frame member(34).

A4. The vehicle awning (10) of any of paragraphs A-A3.1,

wherein the left-support distal end region (32) is slidingly coupled tothe lower left strap (44) and is configured to be selectively positionedalong the lower left strap (44); and

wherein the right-support distal end region (36) is slidingly coupled tothe lower right strap (52) and is configured to be selectivelypositioned along the lower right strap (52).

A4.1. The vehicle awning (10) of paragraph A4,

wherein the left-support distal end region (32) comprises a left loop(72) and the lower left strap (44) slidingly extends through the leftloop (72); and

wherein the right-support distal end region (36) comprises a right loop(74) and the lower right strap (52) slidingly extends through the rightloop (74).

A4.2. The vehicle awning (10) of any of paragraphs A4-A4.1,

wherein the lower left attachment assembly (42) further comprises one ormore left-strap limiting structures (82) configured to be selectivelypositioned along the lower left strap (44) to retain the left-supportdistal end region (32) in a selected position along the lower left strap(44); and wherein the lower right attachment assembly (50) furthercomprises one or more right-strap limiting structures (84) configured tobe selectively positioned along the lower right strap (52) to retain theright-support distal end region (36) in a selected positon along thelower right strap (52).

A4.2.1. The vehicle awning (10) of paragraph A4.2,

wherein the one or more left-strap limiting structures (82) comprise:

-   -   a first left-strap limiting slider (86) slidingly coupled to the        lower left strap (44) on one side of the left-support distal end        region (32); and    -   a second left-strap limiting slider (88) slidingly coupled to        the lower left strap (44) on an opposite side of the        left-support distal end region (32) from the first left-strap        limiting slider (86); and

wherein the one or more right-strap limiting structures (84) comprise:

-   -   a first right-strap limiting slider (90) slidingly coupled to        the lower right strap (52) on one side of the right-support        distal end region (36); and    -   a second right-strap limiting slider (92) slidingly coupled to        the lower right strap (52) on an opposite side of the        right-support distal end region (36) from the first right-strap        limiting slider (90).

A5. The vehicle awning (10) of any of paragraphs A-A4.2.1, furthercomprising a handle (76) coupled to the canopy (38) within the space(18).

A6. The vehicle awning (10) of any of paragraphs A-A5, wherein theattachment system (40) further comprises one or more auxiliaryattachment structures (78) coupled to the elongate rear segment (20),wherein the one or more auxiliary attachment structures (78) areconfigured to operatively secure the elongate rear segment (20) relativeto the upper region (56) of the vehicle (12).

B. A method (200) of installing the vehicle awning (10) of any ofparagraphs A-A6 on the vehicle (12), the method (200) comprising:

inflating (202) the inflatable frame assembly (14) so that the canopy(38) is taught across the space (18);

operatively attaching (204) the upper left attachment assembly (54) andthe upper right attachment assembly (58) to the upper region (56) of thevehicle (12);

operatively attaching (206) the lower left attachment (46) and the lowerright attachment (55) to the lower region (48) of the vehicle (12); and

shortening (208) the lower left attachment assembly (42) and the lowerright attachment assembly (50) so that the lower left strap (44) and thelower right strap (52) are taught.

B1. The method (200) of paragraph B when depending from paragraph A3.1,further comprising:

prior to the inflating (202), causing (210) the left valve (68) torestrict air flow through the left connecting tube (64) and the rightvalve (70) to restrict air flow through the right connecting tube (66);

wherein the inflating (202) comprises:

-   -   pressurizing (212) the main frame member (16); and    -   following the pressurizing (212), causing (214) the left valve        (68) to permit air flow through the left connecting tube (64)        and the right valve (70) to permit air flow through the right        connecting tube (66), thereby pressurizing the left supporting        frame member (30) and the right supporting frame member (34).

As used herein, the terms “adapted” and “configured” mean that theelement, component, or other subject matter is designed and/or intendedto perform a given function. Thus, the use of the terms “adapted” and“configured” should not be construed to mean that a given element,component, or other subject matter is simply “capable of” performing agiven function but that the element, component, and/or other subjectmatter is specifically selected, created, implemented, utilized,programmed, and/or designed for the purpose of performing the function.It is also within the scope of the present disclosure that elements,components, and/or other recited subject matter that is recited as beingadapted to perform a particular function may additionally oralternatively be described as being configured to perform that function,and vice versa. Similarly, subject matter that is recited as beingconfigured to perform a particular function may additionally oralternatively be described as being operative to perform that function.

As used herein, the terms “selective” and “selectively,” when modifyingan action, movement, configuration, or other activity of one or morecomponents or characteristics of an apparatus, mean that the specificaction, movement, configuration, or other activity is a direct orindirect result of user manipulation of an aspect of, or one or morecomponents of, the apparatus.

As used herein, the term “and/or” placed between a first entity and asecond entity means one of (1) the first entity, (2) the second entity,and (3) the first entity and the second entity. Multiple entries listedwith “and/or” should be construed in the same manner, i.e., “one ormore” of the entities so conjoined. Other entities optionally may bepresent other than the entities specifically identified by the “and/or”clause, whether related or unrelated to those entities specificallyidentified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, a reference to “A and/orB,” when used in conjunction with open-ended language such as“comprising,” may refer, in one example, to A only (optionally includingentities other than B); in another example, to B only (optionallyincluding entities other than A); in yet another example, to both A andB (optionally including other entities). These entities may refer toelements, actions, structures, steps, operations, values, and the like.

The various disclosed elements of apparatuses and steps of methodsdisclosed herein are not required to all apparatuses and methodsaccording to the present disclosure, and the present disclosure includesall novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of thevarious elements and steps disclosed herein. Moreover, one or more ofthe various elements and steps disclosed herein may define independentinventive subject matter that is separate and apart from the whole of adisclosed apparatus or method. Accordingly, such inventive subjectmatter is not required to be associated with the specific apparatusesand methods that are expressly disclosed herein, and such inventivesubject matter may find utility in apparatuses and/or methods that arenot expressly disclosed herein.

1. A vehicle awning (10) for installation on a vehicle (12), comprising:an inflatable frame assembly (14), comprising: a main frame member (16)defining a space (18) at least partially bound by the main frame member(16) and comprising: an elongate rear segment (20) having a left endregion (22) and a right end region (24); a left projecting segment (26)extending from the left end region (22) of the elongate rear segment(20); and a right projecting segment (28) extending from the right endregion (24) of the elongate rear segment (20); a left supporting framemember (30) extending from the left projecting segment (26) and having aleft-support distal end region (32); and a right supporting frame member(34) extending from the right projecting segment (28) and having aright-support distal end region (36), wherein each of the main framemember (16), the left supporting frame member (30), and the rightsupporting frame member (34) is configured to selectively hold apressurized volume of air; a canopy (38) operatively coupled to the mainframe member (16) and spanning the space (18); and an attachment system(40), comprising: a lower left attachment assembly (42) comprising alower left strap (44) extending from the left end region (22) of theelongate rear segment (20) and a lower left attachment (46) operativelycoupled to the lower left strap (44) and configured to engage a lowerregion (48) of the vehicle (12), wherein the left-support distal endregion (32) is coupled to the lower left strap (44), and wherein thelower left attachment assembly (42) is configured to be selectivelylengthened and shortened between the lower left attachment (46) and theleft end region (22) of the elongate rear segment (20); a lower rightattachment assembly (50) comprising a lower right strap (52) extendingfrom the right end region (24) of the elongate rear segment (20) and alower right attachment (55) operatively coupled to the lower right strap(52) and configured to engage the lower region (48) of the vehicle (12),wherein the right-support distal end region (36) is coupled to the lowerright strap (52), and wherein the lower right attachment assembly (50)is configured to be selectively lengthened and shortened between thelower right attachment (55) and the right end region (24) of theelongate rear segment (20); an upper left attachment assembly (54)extending from the left end region (22) of the elongate rear segment(20) and configured to be selectively secured to an upper region (56) ofthe vehicle (12); and an upper right attachment assembly (58) extendingfrom the right end region (24) of the elongate rear segment (20) andconfigured to be selectively secured to the upper region (56) of thevehicle (12).
 2. The vehicle awning (10) of claim 1, wherein the vehicleawning (10) has: a deployed configuration (100), in which the main framemember (16), the left supporting frame member (30), and the rightsupporting frame member (34) are holding pressurized air and the canopy(38) is taught across the space (18); and a stowed configuration (102),in which the main frame member (16), the left supporting frame member(30), and the right supporting frame member (34) are open to atmosphereand are able to be folded and/or rolled for stowing the vehicle awning(10).
 3. The vehicle awning (10) of claim 2 in combination with astorage bag (80), wherein the vehicle awning (10) is configured to fitfully within the storage bag (80) when in the stowed configuration(102).
 4. The vehicle awning (10) of claim 1, wherein the main framemember (16) further comprises a front segment (60) that interconnectsthe left projecting segment (26) and the right projecting segment (28),and wherein the main frame member (16) fully bounds the space (18). 5.The vehicle awning (10) of claim 1, wherein the main frame member (16),the left supporting frame member (30), and the right supporting framemember (34) are fluidly interconnected to define a single internalvolume (62).
 6. The vehicle awning (10) of claim 5, wherein theinflatable frame assembly (14) further comprises: a left connecting tube(64) fluidly interconnecting the left projecting segment (26) and theleft supporting frame member (30); a right connecting tube (66) fluidlyinterconnecting the right projecting segment (28) and the rightsupporting frame member (34); a left valve (68) operatively coupled tothe left connecting tube (64) and configured to selectively restrict andpermit air flow between the left projecting segment (26) and the leftsupporting frame member (30); and a right valve (70) operatively coupledto the right connecting tube (66) and configured to selectively restrictand permit air flow between the right projecting segment (28) and theright supporting frame member (34).
 7. The vehicle awning (10) of claim1, wherein the left-support distal end region (32) is slidingly coupledto the lower left strap (44) and is configured to be selectivelypositioned along the lower left strap (44); and wherein theright-support distal end region (36) is slidingly coupled to the lowerright strap (52) and is configured to be selectively positioned alongthe lower right strap (52).
 8. The vehicle awning (10) of claim 7,wherein the left-support distal end region (32) comprises a left loop(72) and the lower left strap (44) slidingly extends through the leftloop (72); and wherein the right-support distal end region (36)comprises a right loop (74) and the lower right strap (52) slidinglyextends through the right loop (74).
 9. The vehicle awning (10) of claim7, wherein the lower left attachment assembly (42) further comprises oneor more left-strap limiting structures (82) configured to be selectivelypositioned along the lower left strap (44) to retain the left-supportdistal end region (32) in a selected position along the lower left strap(44); and wherein the lower right attachment assembly (50) furthercomprises one or more right-strap limiting structures (84) configured tobe selectively positioned along the lower right strap (52) to retain theright-support distal end region (36) in a selected positon along thelower right strap (52).
 10. The vehicle awning (10) of claim 9, whereinthe one or more left-strap limiting structures (82) comprise: a firstleft-strap limiting slider (86) slidingly coupled to the lower leftstrap (44) on one side of the left-support distal end region (32); and asecond left-strap limiting slider (88) slidingly coupled to the lowerleft strap (44) on an opposite side of the left-support distal endregion (32) from the first left-strap limiting slider (86); and whereinthe one or more right-strap limiting structures (84) comprise: a firstright-strap limiting slider (90) slidingly coupled to the lower rightstrap (52) on one side of the right-support distal end region (36); anda second right-strap limiting slider (92) slidingly coupled to the lowerright strap (52) on an opposite side of the right-support distal endregion (36) from the first right-strap limiting slider (90).
 11. Thevehicle awning (10) of claim 1, further comprising a handle (76) coupledto the canopy (38) within the space (18).
 12. The vehicle awning (10) ofclaim 1, wherein the attachment system (40) further comprises one ormore auxiliary attachment structures (78) coupled to the elongate rearsegment (20), wherein the one or more auxiliary attachment structures(78) are configured to operatively secure the elongate rear segment (20)relative to the upper region (56) of the vehicle (12).
 13. A method(200) of installing the vehicle awning (10) of claim 1 on the vehicle(12), the method (200) comprising: inflating (202) the inflatable frameassembly (14) so that the canopy (38) is taught across the space (18);operatively attaching (204) the upper left attachment assembly (54) andthe upper right attachment assembly (58) to the upper region (56) of thevehicle (12); operatively attaching (206) the lower left attachment (46)and the lower right attachment (55) to the lower region (48) of thevehicle (12); and shortening (208) the lower left attachment assembly(42) and the lower right attachment assembly (50) so that the lower leftstrap (44) and the lower right strap (52) are taught.
 14. The method(200) of claim 13, wherein: the main frame member (16), the leftsupporting frame member (30), and the right supporting frame member (34)are fluidly interconnected to define a single internal volume (62); theinflatable frame assembly (14) further comprises: a left connecting tube(64) fluidly interconnecting the left projecting segment (26) and theleft supporting frame member (30); a right connecting tube (66) fluidlyinterconnecting the right projecting segment (28) and the rightsupporting frame member (34); a left valve (68) operatively coupled tothe left connecting tube (64) and configured to selectively restrict andpermit air flow between the left projecting segment (26) and the leftsupporting frame member (30); and a right valve (70) operatively coupledto the right connecting tube (66) and configured to selectively restrictand permit air flow between the right projecting segment (28) and theright supporting frame member (34); and the method (200) furthercomprises prior to the inflating (202), causing (210) the left valve(68) to restrict air flow through the left connecting tube (64) and theright valve (70) to restrict air flow through the right connecting tube(66); wherein the inflating (202) comprises: pressurizing (212) the mainframe member (16); and following the pressurizing (212), causing (214)the left valve (68) to permit air flow through the left connecting tube(64) and the right valve (70) to permit air flow through the rightconnecting tube (66), thereby pressurizing the left supporting framemember (30) and the right supporting frame member (34).
 15. A vehicleawning (10) for installation on a vehicle (12), comprising: aninflatable frame assembly (14), comprising: a main frame member (16)defining a space (18) fully bound by the main frame member (16) andcomprising: an elongate rear segment (20) having a left end region (22)and a right end region (24); a left projecting segment (26) extendingfrom the left end region (22) of the elongate rear segment (20); a rightprojecting segment (28) extending from the right end region (24) of theelongate rear segment (20); and a front segment (60) that interconnectsthe left projecting segment (26) and the right projecting segment (28);a left supporting frame member (30) extending from the left projectingsegment (26) and having a left-support distal end region (32); a rightsupporting frame member (34) extending from the right projecting segment(28) and having a right-support distal end region (36); a leftconnecting tube (64) fluidly interconnecting the left projecting segment(26) and the left supporting frame member (30); a right connecting tube(66) fluidly interconnecting the right projecting segment (28) and theright supporting frame member (34), wherein the main frame member (16),the left supporting frame member (30), the right supporting frame member(34), the left connecting tube (64), and the right connecting tube (66)are fluidly interconnected to define a single internal volume (62)configured to selectively hold a pressurized volume of air; a left valve(68) operatively coupled to the left connecting tube (64) and configuredto selectively restrict and permit air flow between the left projectingsegment (26) and the left supporting frame member (30); and a rightvalve (70) operatively coupled to the right connecting tube (66) andconfigured to selectively restrict and permit air flow between the rightprojecting segment (28) and the right supporting frame member (34); acanopy (38) operatively coupled to the main frame (16) and spanning thespace (18); and an attachment system (40), comprising: a lower leftattachment assembly (42) comprising a lower left strap (44) extendingfrom the left end region (22) of the elongate rear segment (20) and alower left attachment (46) operatively coupled to the lower left strap(44) and configured to engage a lower region (48) of the vehicle (12),wherein the left-support distal end region (32) is slidingly coupled tothe lower left strap (44) and configured to be selectively positionedalong the lower left strap (44), wherein the lower left attachmentassembly (42) further comprises one or more left-strap limitingstructures (82) configured to be selectively positioned along the lowerleft strap (44) to retain the left-support distal end region (32) in aselected position along the lower left strap (44), and wherein the lowerleft attachment assembly (42) is configured to be selectively lengthenedand shortened between the lower left attachment (46) and the left endregion (22) of the elongate rear segment (20); a lower right attachmentassembly (50) comprising a lower right strap (52) extending from theright end region (24) of the elongate rear segment (20) and a lowerright attachment (55) operatively coupled to the lower right strap (52)and configured to engage the lower region (48) of the vehicle (12),wherein the right-support distal end region (36) is slidingly coupled tothe lower right strap (52) and is configured to be selectivelypositioned along the lower right strap (52), wherein the lower rightattachment assembly (50) further comprises one or more right-straplimiting structures (84) configured to be selectively positioned alongthe lower right strap (52) to retain the right-support distal end region(36) in a selected positon along the lower right strap (52), and whereinthe lower right attachment assembly (50) is configured to be selectivelylengthened and shortened between the lower right attachment (55) and theright end region (24) of the elongate rear segment (20); an upper leftattachment assembly (54) extending from the left end region (22) of theelongate rear segment (20) and configured to be selectively secured toan upper region (56) of the vehicle (12); and an upper right attachmentassembly (58) extending from the right end region (24) of the elongaterear segment (20) and configured to be selectively secured to the upperregion (56) of the vehicle (12).
 16. A vehicle awning (10), comprising:a canopy (38); an inflatable frame assembly (14) coupled to the canopy(38) and comprising means for supporting the canopy (38) above a groundsurface; an attachment system (40) comprising means for attaching thevehicle awning (10) to a vehicle (12).